Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-11-18
THE EXECUTION.

TIE EXECUTION
Reading OF the Death Warrants TO the Con-
demnsd-The Scenes on the GauOWs-AII
Go TO Their Death Without Fear or
Trembling.
CHICAGO, November 11.-AIore utter con
tempt Of death was probably never shown
by any four men. From the first moments
Of the morning till the day closed upon
them they would not see a shadow either of
ignomy or the hereafter. The seven
hours from dawn until the four
passed to eternity we're crowded
full with events as stirring as day Of bat
tie. Beginning with nat refusal IN the very
teeth Of death to accept a word Of comfort
from a reverend minister of religion, one
OF their number, Fischer, sang to the jan
and the world, the song or the French r6votu-
ton, the famous tiMarselllaIse." Then with
seemingly not a thought Of the dread
massacre at Haymaaket the four prepared
for their march toWarh the gallOws almost as
If It we're a pleasant excursion, 1t vas ll:z5
q. m. when Sheriff MatsCn, accompanied by
grim old Jailer FOise, the manipulating
Rev. DR.. Bolton and a score of stal @art
deputies, stepped up close 70
the open door of August Spies
cell preparatory to reading the death war
rant to the four condemned men. Twenty
minutes were occupied in this trying form
atty, rendered dOubIy an ordeal by the hor-
rIble silence prevadng, and by the sIcEenIug
OdOr coming from the room where lay
the bloody corpse of their comrade, Louis
Llngg, the suicide. When Sheriff AatsOn
finished Spies looked at him a moment,
steadily, but without maleVOlence, and then
said sentsutously:
''Sherih, you are about to commit judi
cial murder"
He said nothing more but stepped quickly
from his cell threshold, giving himself to be
piniOnsd and then to be hidden in one OF
UTIr HH 1Hfnw a wi aFg
deputy carried an armful.
Spies, while being bound, was seen to be
dressed in q pair Of light blue wooden trous-
ers and a shirt of light gray flannel fastened
at the throat with a tiny red cord. His feet
were encssed in a pair Of embroidered slip
pers. fresh beard was growing on his
chin and his light curley hair
was brushed back carelessly. Taking his
watch from his pocket he handed it to a
deputy, requesting him to deliver 1t to his
mother. A strong leather belt was then
passed around his body, securely fast
ening his arms straight down to
plated manacles behind him fastened
his wrists together. A moment later his
body was completely euvslOped IN a shrOud
loosely gathered about the neck. The sheriff
was addressing AdOlph Fischer, who was
even more Indifferent than Spies at the for
mality. Like Spies, he told the sheriff that
1t was a Judicial murder. Fischer had his
SLOUGH hat on, but removed it as he stepped
blue flannel shirt, new dark breaches, and
had been shaved but a few hours before. He
nodded to Spies In a pleasant manner, and
asked him IN German how he felt. Spies
smiled gOOd-naturedly and replied that ne
felt tirst-rate. Engel heard the reading Of
the death warrant with stOlid Indifference,
and he did not utter a single word
of comment. Before their arms were
piniOned all Of the men shook hands with
Tailor FOise and the the deputies surround
ing them, all Of whom they had become we'll
acquainted with during their many months
confinement. Parsons warrant was read
last. He seemed to have nsrved himself up
to a great tension, and had nothing to say
IN reply. Like Engel, he was clad IN a full
suit of black dress clothes, even to a Prince
Albert suit.
THE DEATH MARCH.
Forming in double file, each of the four
anarchists side by side, with deputy, were
now headed east, and started for the gallOWs.
stop at the rear door of the cages gave the
four q chance to turn their heads In the di-
rection of the second gallery of the jail and
bid goodbye several times to SchWab and
Ei6lden, receiving broken, gutteral farewell
saiutes IN return. Here again spiritual con-
ISOLATION was offered by the Rev DR.. Bolton,
now for the last time. A sarcastic smile lit
up the faces Of all four men as they resumed
their tread along the corridor, and turning
slowly into the dark northeast corner, dis
appeared like ghosts up the steps of the gal
lows.
When the collins were brought to the scat
fold Sheriff MatsOn exclaimed;
''His will be done"
The bodies were lowered in the following
order: Spies, Fischer Engel and Parsons.
All looked natural. The coffin lids were
quickly screwed down. Paper tabs were
pasted On each for identification. EngeIs
and Lingg the suicides remains, were taken
2o6 Milwaukee avenue. Eischer's were
claimed by his wife. Mrs. Spies. took
August and Mrs. Parsons received that Of
her husband. Spies was removed in his COT
I'm at 1:4O O'Clock. The remains were re-
ceived by a committee of the central labor
union, composed of MesErs. Strauber, Lin
nemyer, SchmidinZeF, Urban and Rsthig.
Before the committee left the jail they went
into the cage and shouted good byes to
Schwab and Fielden, who will be removed
to the Joliet penitentiary tomorrow. Mem
bers Of the committee kissed their hands
and raised their hats to their imprisoned
comrades and sadly left.
THE PAROxysM OF DEATH.
Many of the spectators turned their heads
at the fatal instant but experienced eyes
saw that the body of Spies struggled fear
fully at first. Fischer did not move for a
moment OF two and then he hung limp, but
struggled for a few moments, during which
his cowle was disarranged, exposing
was turned around by the physi-
clan who was examining the pulse.
Engel's body made scarcely a motion after
It had fallen. When Parsons body fell it
remained stationary for q few moments,
then the head nodded back and forth while
the upper portion of the body was cOnvul-
Eive and the bosom heaVed so hard that it
seemed as If 1t would burst through tbs
whole body the contest between life and
death ended.